Stocking



July 13, 1948. M. J. WELCHJ 2,445,049

STOCKING Filed Aug. 26, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Zorzzeys Patented July 13, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcg-Y Martin J. Welch, Buffalo, N. Y.Application August 26, 1946, Serial No. 6 92,95 7

1 Claim. (01. 2-439) This invention relates to stockings made of sec-'tions which are of such shape that when sewed together they conform tothe contour of the foot and leg.

It is the object of this invention to provide a stocking made of nylon,silk, rayon or similar materials knitted on a Tricot, Milanese orcircular knitting machines in the piece and of the proper elasticity soas to insure a smooth fit and proper construction which will preventruns in the fabric and in the finished stocking.

This application is related to an application for design patent filed bymyself December 28, 1945, and serially numbered Dl25,082.

In the accompanying drawings: 2

Fig. 1 is a side view of a finished stocking embodying this invention,

Fig. 2 is a top plan plan view of the same,

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the same.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of the 7 same.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary rear elevation thereof.

Fig. 6 is a spread out view of the blank or section of the stockingforming the leg and the top of the foot of the completed stocking.

Fig. "7 is a similar View of the blank or section of the stocking whichforms the underside or sandal Of the foot and the heel portion of thestocking.

f Fig. 8 is a plan view in a spread or open position of that section ofthe stocking'which forms the Welt.

Fig. 9 is a similar view of the welt section in a closed position.

In the following description the same reference ures of the drawings.

The blank or section of the stocking shown in Fig. 6 and constitutingthe body of the same is made of sheet material and adapted to cover thethigh and the crus and the uppersidellof the instep of a human leg andcomprises anupper leg panel II) which is comparatively long and wide, afront or lower instep panel or flap ll which is comparatively short andnarrow and an intermediate tapering ankle panel or fiap l2 W'hich'isarranged between said upper and lower panels and made integrallytherewith, said incharacters indicate like parts in the several fi andprovided with parallel longitudinal edges I5 which mergeby downwardlyconverging edges l6 into the side edges [4 of this central part and thelower part of this upper panel has downwardly'converging side edges I1.At its upper end the upper panel [0 terminates in a straight transverseedge l8 and at its lower end the same is provided with transverseshoulders l9 which extendinwardly a short distance from the lower endsof the inclined edges l! of this panel. This upper panel is folded abouta longitudinal axis and the correspondinglongitudinal edges [4, l5, l6and l! are seamed or sewed together as shown at 20 in Figs. 3 and 5, sothat this panel is of tubular formand adapted to enclose the crus andthigh of the leg.

The intermediate panel 12 is adapted to fit over the top of the ankle ofthe leg and the lower parts 2| of its longitudinal side edge areinclined and converge downwardly or forwardly relative to the length ofthis panel and'the upper art 22 of these side edges are parallel andconnect with the transverse lower edges IQ of the upper panel so as toform a right angled notch between each side edge part 22 and thecorresponding'transverse edge part 19, as shown in Fig. 6.

The vlower'panel II is adapted to fit over the instep of the foot andhas its transverse front edge 23 curved convexly. The central parts 24of .theopposite longitudinal side edges of the lower panel I l areparallel and the lower ends of these side edge parts 24 are connected bylower inclined parts 25 with the. opposite ends of the transverse frontedge 23 and converge forwardly relative to -the same. The upper endsofthe parallel side edgev parts 24 of the lower panel l l are connected byupper or rear inclined parts 26 with the inner lower ends of theinclined edge the sole, heelgunder or rear part of the ankle andtheupper side of the toes are covered by a section having the form of asandal or'slipper which is constructed of sheet material as'follows:

Theblank of the sandal or slipper section comprises a central or solepanel-21 adapted to engage with the bottom of the foot, a. lower toepanel 28 connected with the front end of the sole is providedrwithparallel longitudinal edges l4,

the upper part of the same is somewhat wider panel and adapted .toengage with the underside of the toes, anupper toe panel or -flap 29con- 3 nected with the front end of the lower toe panel and adapted toengage with the upper side of the toes, a front heel panel connectedwith the rear end of the sole panel and adapted to engage the front partof the heel, a rear heel panel 3| connected with the rear end of thefront heel panel and adapted to engage with the rear Part of the heel,and a rear ankle panel or flap 32 connected with .the rear endof therearheel panel and-adapted toengage with theiunder side or nape of the anklein rear of the heel, these suitable material.

side parts of the lower toe panelig are made, respectively, ofsubstantially-V-shape, the' summit 34 of each of these V-shaped partsbeing .-connected by an inclined edge 35 with the'front end of thelongitudinal edge 33 on the corresponding side of the sole panelso'that' these "inclined edges 35z'converge" rearwardly. and the rearpart of the lower" toe'panel tapers rearwardly. The longi- V tudinalopposite 'sides of' the front fpart of" the 'Slower toe panel 28are alsoprovidedwithinclined -edgestli'which converge forwardlyf-rom the sum-".mits '34 so that 'thispartof' the lower toe panel is of forwardlytapering form. The longitudinal opposite sides of the upper toe'panel 29are provided with inclined edges 31' which'diverge from thefront' endsofithefinclined 'front'edgesfiid of the lower toefpanel' so thatthis'upper toe panel 'is of tapering form. Atitsouteriextremity the upper toe"panel is' provided -with a transvers 'dge'tawhich is curved concavely.

The opposite side parts of their'ont 'heelpanel '30 areimade,respectively, "ofsubstantially V- shape, the summit39 of each" of theseV-shaped gpartsbeing' connected byan" inclined edge 40 with the rear endof'thelongitudinal' edgel'33 on 'the corresponding side of thesolei'panelsothat these inclinedv edges 40 converge forwardly land "the"front part of the'front heel panel tapers forwardly. Theopposite'l0ngitudinalsides of "the front heel-panel are alsoprovidedwith inthe summits'39 so that the 'rearpart of the front".heelpanel tapers rearwardly.

Z'Iheopposite' side parts of'the rear heel panel 3| .are also-made,"respect'ively; of substantially clined edges I l I which .converge'rear'wardly: from 'i parts being connected by anlinclined edge 43"with'the' rear end of "theinclin'edi edge 4| of the lcompanion frontheel panel "soithat "the front ,i'part of the rear heel panel is offorwardly ta- L peringf form. The oppositelon'gitudinal sides of ;thereariheelipanel are also provided within- "cflined edges 44 whichconverge rea'rwardlyfrom "the's'ummits 42 sothat the rean'partof therear .heel panel tapers rearwardly.

" The ankle panel 32 is comparatively narrow and provided with oppositeparallellong'itudinal edges "45 "which connect at their front ends withthe t ends of the inclined rear-edges 44 ofthe' rear heel panel andconnect at their rear ends with opposite ends of the transverse edge45.0f' the "ankle'panel.

iPreparatory to assembling this sandal with the bodyiof the stocking".the sandal blank is v sewed up into the'sh'apeof asandalbrslipper'whichwill 'engage the underside of the-foot'and enclose the heeland toe'of ahuman'foot. This is accomplished in part by seaming orsewing togetherthe inclined edges' il -on-opposi-te=sides-of the rear part of "thefront heel-panetwith the-inclined Ifhe sole panel is provided on itsopposite-sides with parallel longitudinal edges 3 3 the opposite.

panels being formed integrally from a sheetrof V "adapted to receive thetoes of a human foot.

edges 43 on the front part of the rear heel panel, as shown at i'i inFigs. 1 and 3 thereby closing the notches 58 on opposite sides of thesandal blank between the respective inclined edges 4|, 43 of the frontand rear heel panels, an upwardly opening pocket on the sandal sectionwhich is adapted to receive the heel of the human foot.

In a further operation the upper toe panel 29 is turned rearwardly' overthe lower toe panel 23 along the transversely folding line :38 betweenthe same and the inclined side edges 31 of the upper toe panel are sewedo-r seamed to the inclined side edges 3&3 of the lower toe panel bystitches 49, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, thereby forming a rearwardlyopening pocket which is As the front and rear heel panels are sewedtogether and the lower and upper toe panels are sewed together in themanner described the inclined side edges 35 of the lower toe panel, theparallel sideedges-BE of the sole panel, the inclined side edgesit) ofthe front heel panel, 'the'incline'dside edges-M of the rear heel paneland the parallel side edges 45 of the ankle panel are raised so as to ineffect produce an upwardly-opening trough which receives the lower partof the human foot and form side walls which engage opposite sides of thearch, heel and ankle of the foot. The several edges of the lower toepaneL-sole panel, front and rear heel panel and ankle panel areconnected, respectively, by longitudinal scams or sewing stitches 51'with the inclined front side edges 25 of theinstep panel, the'parallel-side edges 2% of the instep panel, the inclindrear side edges26 of the instep panel, the inclined edges 2| of the ankle panel and theparallel=side edges 2| of the ankle panel. As shown at fil -inFlgs. 1, 2and 4 the front transverse edge 23 of the instep panel is alsostitchedor seamed to the rear edge 38 of the upper toe panel and,asshown-at 52 in Figs. 1 and 3, the rear transverse edge 45 of the anklepanel is connected with'the transverse edges l-9'o-n the lower edge ofthe-leg panel.

The tubular body of the stocking is usually 1 finished by an annularwelt or band'which may be formed of a rectangular sheet blank 53 whichis doubled by folding the same lengthwise on a 1ine54 midway between thelongitudinal-edges of this blank, and thereafter seaming together'thetransverse edges 55 of the two layers, sewing the lower turned edge ofthis welt by stitches 56 to the upper edge It of the le panel andfinishing the upper edges of the two plies of the welt in the manner ofpicot, as shown zit--51, in Figs. 1,

2, 3 and 9.

Although the several sections-or parts'ofthis stocking may be made ofany suitable' material the same are preferably made of a'knittedmaterial, which has the proper elasticity toinsure a 'smooth fit of thestockingon the human leg." and 'which also-is of such construction thatthe same "will not run' and still present alneatand finished appearance.

The leg portion of this stockingfe -preferably made of a material havinga weight correspond- .ing to sheer, chiffon or service and the welt andsandal are preferably made 'of similar-fabric in order to blend withitheleg section; 'but preferably of heavier and moredurable weight;

i'It will be noted that in this stocking 'no' seams are present on thebottom of the footwsection thereby avoiding thediscomfort experienced bywearers ofstockings as heretoforemanufactured I claim as my invention:

A stocking comprising an upper section and a lower section, said uppersection being constructed from a sheet blank having an upper leg panel,a front instep panel and an intermediate ankle panel connecting thefront part of the lower end of said leg panel with the rear edge of theinstep panel and this upper leg panel being folded crosswise so as toengage its opposite longitudinal edges and connecting the same to form atube adapted to receive a human leg and the lower rear part of said legpanel having transverse edge portions adjacent to its longitudinaledges,said intermediate and front panels adapted to extend forwardly over theankle and instep of a human foot and said instep panel having parallelside edges and said ankle panel having V-notches on its opposite sideedges and said lower section being constructed from a sheet blank toform a central contracted sole panel having parallel side edges andadapted to engage the sole of the foot, an enlarged under toe panelextending forwardly from the sole panel and adapted to engage theunderside of the toes, an enlarged over toe panel extending upwardly andrearwardly from the front edge of the under toe panel and adapted toengage the upper side of the toes, an enlarged front heel panelextending rearwardly from the sole panel and adapted to engage the frontpart of the heel, a rear enlarged heel panel extending rearwardly fromthe front heel panel and adapted to engage with the rear part of theheel, and a narrowed ankle panel extending .rearwardly from the rearheel panel and adapted to engage the ankle back of the heel and having atransverse rear edge, said front and rear heel panels being connected toform a pocket for receiving the heel, said lower and upper toe panelsbeing connected to form a pocket for receiving the toes, and said upperand lower sections being connected along the opposing longitudinal edgesof the instep and sole panels, also along the opposing transverse edgesof the instep and upper toe panels, and also along the transverse edgeportions between the lower part of the leg panel and the rear end of theankle panel to form a continuous lower edge in the rear part of thistubular leg.

MARTIN J. WELCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

